This year's Provost's Academic Excellence Award recipients Anaïs Acree from Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Ashley Darling from the College of Design, Hope Hazelton from the College of Sciences, Jason Juang from Scheller College of Business, and Zikang Leng from the College of Computing.  

Established in 2021, the Provost’s Academic Excellence Award was created to recognize the remaining finalists of the Love Family Foundation Award. Each recipient is a graduating senior and represents the most outstanding scholastic record from their college. Finalists receive a $2,000 award, generously sponsored by the Love Family Foundation, and recognition at the annual Student Honors Celebration. 

Anaïs Acree is currently double majoring in international affairs and modern languages with a focus in French. She has been involved in many experiences at Georgia Tech, including being a resident assistant, performing data analytics for Delta Airlines, and spending time as a NATO consultant and intern on Capitol Hill for Representative Austin Scott’s office. Anaïs wants to pursue a career path where she can help develop international policy to make the world a better place. “I am beyond humbled to receive this award and want to thank the Love family for their generosity,” she said. “I also want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering encouragement and the faculty and staff of Georgia Tech's Ivan Allen College, whose guidance and support during this amazing four-year journey have made this recognition possible.” 

Ashley Darling is currently a student in the School of Industrial Design in the College of Design. She is described as a student who has the curiosity and courage to search for her education goals. One example of this is when she switched her major from Engineering to Industrial Design. Her article “If Everyone Else Jumped Off a Bridge, Would You?” was impressive in that it pointed on taking risks in design has paid off during her time on campus. "I am so thankful for the College of Design for fostering such a unique and transformative educational environment," she said. "Receiving this award is a reflection of Georgia Tech’s Industrial Design program that challenged me every day and allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. I am grateful to be surrounded by people who always push me to be my best, and I am honored to celebrate this award with the College of Design. A special thank you to my mentor Lisa Marks and all the people in my studio courses as you have made these four years amazing."

Hope Hazelton is graduating in May with a psychology degree. Some of her accomplishments before receiving her degree this semester include working as a lab assistant for the Work Family Health Lab and serving as a peer coach through the Center for Mental Health Services. Hope plans to obtain full licensure as a professional mental health counselor. Before that, she will be a master’s student at Colorado Christian University in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. “My time at Georgia Tech has been formative and enriching,” she said. “I am so thankful for the support of my family, friends, and educators. My studies in the School of Psychology and extracurricular experiences have contributed to newfound academic and professional goals. I am enthusiastic about what the future holds - Georgia Tech will always be such a special part of my story! I have been blessed in abundance as a student. I am honored to be chosen as a recipient of this generous award. I would like to thank the Love Family for their kindness and support of higher education.” 

Jason Juang is currently pursuing a degree in business administration with a concentration in information technology management and a minor in law, science, and technology. He is the 2024 recipient of the Alvin M. Ferst Leadership and Entrepreneur Scholarship Award, Henry Luce Foundation Scholarship Award, and was honored as part of USG Academic Recognition Day. He also received the 2023 Dow Chemical P.C. McCutchen Award for Outstanding Student Achievement in his junior year. He is the president of ElectrifyGT and played a pivotal role in the organization of directing research and advocacy projects aligned with Georgia Tech’s 2030 carbon neutrality goals. “It is a great honor to receive this award and represent the Scheller College of Business,” he said. “My journey through Tech has had its fair share of ups and downs, but I can confidently share that I would not have had the opportunity to succeed without the guidance and mentorship from the Scheller Undergraduate Programs Office, my professors, mentors, peers, and alumni. Through their support, I have had the privilege to experience many of Tech's resources and its interdisciplinary approach to solving problems. Upon graduation, I will be taking the lessons that I have learned at Tech to be more curious and open minded in the future. I am proud to be a Yellow Jacket!” 

Zikang Leng is currently pursuing a computer science degree. Some of his accomplishments include publishing multiple first-authored papers at well-known conferences. He was recently awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and one of his papers won the Best Paper Honorable Mention Award at the 2023 ACM international joint conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp). As a human computer interaction researcher, Zikang’s interests mainly lie with research. Along with collaborating with professors, Zikang mentors students and helps them take their first step in their research career. "I am immensely grateful to be honored with the award and represent the college of computing," he said. "This recognition is not just a reflection of my own efforts but truly a testament to the incredible support and guidance I've received from my mentors, family, and peers over my past three years spent at Georgia Tech. Special thanks to Dr. Thomas Ploetz , Dr. Hyeokhyen Kwon, and Dr. Thad Starner for their incredible mentorship and support.  My experience at Georgia Tech has been extraordinary, thanks to the vibrant and inspiring community that I've had the privilege to be a part of!"

The Office of Undergraduate Education is proud to celebrate these exceptional students and looks forward to their continued success in their academic and professional pursuits.